Promoting Reflective Ability Through a Comprehensive Field Experience That Combined Video Analysis and Bug-In-Ear Coaching

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of promoting special education teacher candidates’ reflective ability through a comprehensive field experience that combined (a) reflecting-on-action through video analysis with (b) reflecting-in-action through bug-in-ear coaching with real-time feedback. First, we implemented two concurrent single case designed studies to examine the functional relation between the comprehensive field experience and teacher candidates’ reflective ability. Second, we used qualitative methodologies to explore teacher candidates’ perceptions of the record, receive, review, reflect, revise comprehensive reflection cycle as a teacher preparation approach. Overall, special education teacher candidates across both cases ( N = 6) improved their reflective ability in relation to engaging in comprehensive reflection activities. Additionally, candidates identified many meaningful benefits of including comprehensive reflection in teacher preparation. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.